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Morne Patterson - How Twitter is Dethroning Mainstream Media as the Primary Source of Truth

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  News doesn't wait for prime-time TV or tomorrow's paper anymore. The largest longitudinal study reveals that Twitter breaks 59% of major news stories before traditional media catches up. This has altered the map of information consumption completely. Twitter's evolution goes beyond social networking since Elon Musk bought it and rebranded it to X. People now use Twitter's search as their go-to live news engine. They verify breaking stories and follow events as they happen. This radical alteration challenges mainstream media's role as the trusted source of truth. My breakdown shows how Twitter reshapes the news scene. We'll get into its verification methods and what this means for future information sharing. The examples where Twitter beats traditional media to the punch are the foundations of the analysis. This matters equally to news readers and creators. How Twitter Changed News Consumption The way news travels through social media platforms has chan...

Morne Patterson - Why Sticking to Basic Values Doesn't Make You Far Right

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  People quickly label someone as "far-right" when they express support for traditional values. This troubling trend has become more common lately. A simple defence of time-honoured principles often gets twisted into an extreme political position. Traditional values and their societal impact deserve deeper consideration. Core principles like honesty, responsibility, and respect have helped shape human civilisation for centuries and exceed political divisions. These fundamental principles stay relevant without any connection to specific ideologies. This piece explores why embracing traditional values does not automatically line you up with extreme political views. You can stay true to your principles while having meaningful conversations with people of different viewpoints. The goal is to bridge gaps and foster understanding between diverse perspectives. Understanding Traditional Values in Modern Context Societal values represent our shared beliefs that influence our interacti...

Morne Patterson - How Does the Media Influence Politics: Social Media's Role in U.S. Market Perception

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  Social media platforms now serve as the primary source of political news for people who have access to the internet. The media's influence on politics has seen a fundamental change in the last decade. Traditional news broadcasts have given way to a sophisticated network of social media interactions, viral content and real-time information sharing. Social media's power is evident everywhere. Markets react to tweets. Facebook posts determine election outcomes. TikTok videos drive political movements forward. This artcile breaks down how media shapes politics in today's digital world. We'll look at everything from social-first news coverage to traditional media's lasting effect on politics. The discussion also covers why social media affects political campaigns by a lot and what this means as democratic discourse evolves. The Evolution of Political Media Influence The media's influence on politics has transformed remarkably over the last century. This cha...

Morne Patterson - Investor Psychology: How Behavioural Economics Shapes Decisions in Uncertain Times

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  Leading financial institutions have found that psychological factors drive about 80% of investment decisions, especially when markets are volatile. Market outcomes largely depend on investor psychology, which often causes people to deviate from rational economic decisions. These behavioural patterns have become more important as global markets experience uncertainty and complexity. Research in behavioural finance shows how cognitive biases and emotions affect investment performance in all types of market conditions. Investors develop financial bias patterns through several ways - they become overconfident in their judgement, seek information that confirms their beliefs, and tend to follow the crowd. Understanding these psychological dynamics helps investors create better strategies to manage risk and optimise returns when markets become challenging. The Foundations of Behavioural Economics Richard Thaler and fellow economists introduced behavioural economics in the 1970s. T...